Bicycle brake lever mechanism

Abstract: A bicycle brake lever mechanism having a bracket (14) mountable to a bicycle handlebar (15), a lever (13) mounted for pivotal movement to the bracket (14) and a brake cable connector (17) connected to the lever (13). The cable connector (17) is connected to the lever (13) via an adjusting mechanism (18) for so that the return position (R) of the brake lever relative to a lever bracket (14) may be adjusted to accommodate various sized hands. Further, the adjusting mechanism allows for adjustment of a lever ratio A which is defined mathematically by the distance between the pivot point (X) of the lever and the pivot point (F) of the cable connector on the lever divided by the distance from a set point (P) on the brake lever to the pivot point of the lever.

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a bicycle brake lever mechanism, and more particularly to a brake lever mechanism with adjusting means for changing the return or at rest position of a brake lever relative to a lever mounting bracket or bicycle handlebar, and the lever ratio of the brake lever relative to a brake cable. The current bicycle market is such that for any one bicycle model, there may be dozens of different types of people who may purchase that model bicycle. For instance, there may be amateur bicycle riders, professional riders, young adults, heavy set men, petite women, all interested in the same model bicycle. It is therefore desirable to provide ways to adjust a bicycle to fit almost any type of rider to minimize the likelihood of refitting specialized equipment on a standard bicycle. One such adjustment relates to the brake mechanism on a bicycle. For instance, a young teenager would not want a brake lever response that requires an excessive amount of force in order to engage the brakes on the bicycle, nor would a child want the return position of the brake lever to be five inches away from the handlebar, making in impossible to reach with small fingers. Similarly, an adult with large strong hands would not want to have a brake lever with feather like action where the brakes lock up by the mere touch of the brake lever. Nor would that same adult want the brake lever to be so close to the handlebar that his or her fingers would not fit between the lever and the handlebar. Adjustable bicycle brake lever mechanisms are well known, such as that disclosed in, for example, Japanese Utility Model Law Application Publication SHO 62-28547. In this particular reference, a bracket is mountable to the handlebar of a bicycle. The lever bracket has a lever mounted to it via a pivot pin. The pivot pin allows the lever to pivot with respect to the lever bracket. The lever has wire locking means in the form of a u-shaped bracket pivotally mounted to a portion of the lever but spaced apart from the lever pivot pin. A brake cable is connected at its first end to the u-shaped bracket on the lever. The second end of the cable is connected to brake shoes which, when engaged, stop the rotation of the bicycle wheels in a manner known in the art. The wire locking means is mounted to the lever by a second pivot pin, the second pin passing through an elongated opening in the lever. The elongated opening allows for adjustment of the position of the wire locking means with respect to the pivot pin of the lever and lever bracket. Since the return position of the brake lever (where the brakes are disengaged) relative to the lever bracket is determined by the contact between the lever bracket and the wire locking means, adjustment of the position of second pivot pin (and the wire locking means) relative to the lever can change the return position of the lever. In other words, the distance between a handlebar and the lever can be changed by adjusting the wire locking means. Further, adjustment of the wire locking means allows for changes in the distance between the pivot point of the wire locking means relative to the lever and the pivot point of the lever. Changes in the distance between the two pivot points changes the amount of force necessary to engage the brakes on the bicycle. Thus the effect of the lever or the lever ratio relative to the brake wire changes depending on the adjustment of the distance between the pivot point or axis of the brake lever and the wire-connecting axis. Such an adjustment changes the operability of the brake and also changes the location of the stopping action of the lever bracket on the wire locking means which causes the changing of the return position of the brake lever. Unfortunately, the adjustments of the wire locking means also changes the adjustment of the brake cable with respect to the brake arms and the brake arms engagement with the bicycle wheel. For instance, the brake cable may be made to tight or too loose as a result of a lever adjustment making for poor brake operability. Therefore further adjustment of the brake cable is necessary after adjustment of the lever mechanism. The above described prior art was with reference to brake mechanisms which include a pair of brake arms which engage the wheel of a bicycle. There are also bicycle brake mechanisms in which a roller type of hub brake is mounted near the wheel axle. In such brake mechanisms, rollers are disposed between an operating member and brake shoes which are spaced apart from and housed in a brake drum. Upon application of the brakes, via pulling on a brake lever on the bicycle handlebar, an operating cam in the operating member presses and moves the rollers to the shoes, and the rollers press the brake shoes so that they contact the brake drum to create a braking force. The operating member in such roller type hubs usually have a relatively small operating stroke. In other words, very little brake wire or cable movement is necessary to engage the brakes. Hence, the adjustment of a brake cable attached to such a brake mechanism is critical. Use of a brake lever mechanism, such as that disclosed in Japanese Publication SHO 62-28547, described above, with a hub type brake mechanism is undesirable because when the length of the brake cable is altered in any way it has a great effect on the function of a hub roller brake mechanism. Therefore, if any adjustment is made of the prior art lever mechanism, it will have negative consequences on the performance of the brake system without additional cable length adjustments. Similar adjustment problems have occurred where the prior art lever mechanism is employed in combination with caliper type brake mechanisms where the clearance between the brake shoes and the bicycle tire rim is relatively small in order for the shoes to contact the rim promptly upon cable movement for quick effectiveness of the brake. US-A-4304146 describes a brake operating device in which a gap sustainer may be inserted between the brake lever and the lever bracket in order to change the return position of the lever. The gap sustainer is pivotally connected to the lever and is attached to a brake wire retaining element which alters the position of the brake wire attachment relative to the lever, so as to compensate for the change in the lever return position. The position of the brake wire in the return position remains substantially unchanged irrespective of whether the gap sustainer is in use. This document therefore provides a brake lever mechanism having the features referred to in the preamble of Claim 1, but makes no reference to any relevant adjustment of the lever ratio. STATEMENT OF INVENTION According to the present invention there is provided a bicycle brake lever mechanism as specified in Claim 1. Additional features which may optionally be used to implement the invention are set out in the dependent Claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 is a fragmentary schematic view of a roller type hub brake system having a hub brake mechanism connected via a brake cable to a brake lever mechanism of the present invention; Fig. 2 is a cross section of the roller type hub brake mechanism depicted in Fig. 1, on a slightly enlarged scale; Fig. 3 is a fragmentary cross section of the brake lever mechanism depicted in Fig. 1, on a slightly enlarged scale, showing a lever bracket, brake lever and cable connecting components; Fig. 4 is a fragmentary cross section taken along the line 4-4 in Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a fragmentary exploded perspective view of a portion of the brake lever mechanism depicted in Figs. 1, 3 and 4, showing an adjusting mechanism fitted between a portion of the brake lever and one of the cable connecting components; Fig. 6 is a fragmentary side view of a portion of the brake lever depicted in Fig. 5, shown with all moving parts removed; Fig. 7 is a cross section view of the brake lever, cable connecting components and adjusting mechanism depicted in Fig. 5, shown assembled; Figs. 8-11 are fragmentary, partial section side views illustrating the geometric relationships and distances between a return position of the brake lever and the handlebar of a bicycle, the pivot point of the brake lever relative to the brake lever mounting bracket and the pivot point of one of the cable connecting components relative to the brake lever for various positions of the adjusting mechanism depicted in Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 7; Fig. 12 is a graph illustrating relationships between the return position of the brake lever and mathematically defined lever ratios determined by the lever positions of the cable connecting components and the brake lever in each of Figs. 9-11; Fig. 13 is a fragmentary cross section, similar to Fig. 3, of a second embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 14 is a fragmentary cross section taken along the lines 14-14 in Fig. 13, showing a wire connecting section of second embodiment of the braking lever mechanism; Figs. 15-17 are fragmentary, partial section side views illustrating the geometric relationships and distances between a return position of the brake lever and the handlebar of a bicycle, the pivot point of the brake lever relative to the brake lever mounting bracket and the pivot point of one of the cable connecting components relative to the brake lever for various positions of the adjusting mechanism depicted in Figs.13 and 14; Fig. 18 is a graph illustrating relationships between the return position of the brake lever and mathematically defined lever ratios determined by the lever positions of the cable connecting component and the brake lever in each of Figs. 15-17; Fig. 19 is a fragmentary cross section similar to Fig. 3, showing a third embodiment of a brake lever mechanism according to the present invention; Fig. 20 is a fragmentary cross section taken along the line 20-20 in Fig. 19 showing the wire connecting section of the brake lever mechanism according the third embodiment of the present invention; Figs. 21-23 are fragmentary, partial section side views illustrating the geometric relationships and distances between a return position of the brake lever and the handlebar of a bicycle, the pivot point of the brake lever relative to the brake lever mounting bracket and the pivot point of one of the cable connecting components relative to the brake lever for various positions of the adjusting mechanism depicted in Figs. 19 and 20; Fig. 24 is a graph illustrating relationships between the return position of the brake lever and mathematically defined lever ratios determined by the lever positions of the cable connecting component and the brake lever in each of Figs. 21-23. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION In one aspect of the present invention, wherein like elements have like reference numerals throughout the various figures, there is shown in Fig. 1, a bicycle brake system that includes a brake lever mechanism 100 mounted to a bicycle handlebar 15, and a roller-type brake mechanism 200 partially mounted to the bicycle wheel axle 10 and to a bicycle frame (not shown). The roller brake mechanism 200 includes a brake drum 2 which rotates with a bicycle hub 1. Inside of the brake drum 2 of the brake mechanism 200 there are provided a plurality of brake shoes 3, rollers 4, roller cases 5 and an operating cam 6 lying spaced along the periphery of the brake drum 2, with a roller type hub brake construction. A brake arm 7 supports the roller cases 5 in an non-rotatable manner via a rotation-stopping pin 8, and the roller cases 5 anchor the brake shoes 3 in contact with the brake drum 2 through the rollers 4, thereby allowing the brake to be applied to the bicycle hub 1 by rocking operation of the operating member 9 around the hub axis 10. That is, as shown in the same figure, if the operation member 9 is in the brake-release or OFF position, then the brake shoes 3 are positioned away from the brake drum 2 due to the biasing force of the shoe-setting springs 11 for biasing the brake shoes 3 against the rollers 4, to release the brake. As shown in Fig. 2, the operating member 9 is rocked for switching from the above brake-release or OFF position to the brake-engaged or ON position, the operating cam 9 rotates around the hub axis 10 to press the rollers 4 toward the brake drum 2, and the rollers 4 function to push the brake shoes 3 against the brake drum 2, and thus the brake is applied. The braking mechanism 200 is connected to a brake lever 13 (Figs. 1, 3 and 4) via a wire-connecting section 9a of the operating member 9, a brake wire 12 that extends from the operating member 9 to within a lever bracket 14 which is attached to the bicycle handle bar 15. The hub brake mechanism 200 may be operated by applying or releasing in a grasping operation to move a brake lever 13 toward the grip section of the handle lever 15. As is shown more clearly in Figs. 3 and 4, the cable shield or outer wire 12a of the brake wire 12 is connected to the lever bracket 14 by way of an outer holder 16. The holder 16 has external threads that engage internal threads within the lever bracket 14. A wire locking means 17 disposed within the bracket 14 is in the form of a u-shaped bracket having an opening 17e in the bottom of the u-portion of the bracket. The wire locking means 17 is constructed in such a manner as to allow the wire nipple 12c to be easily engagable within the u-shaped portion of the bracket. The wire locking means 17 is provided with an aperture 17d into which the wire nipple 12c may be inserted. The wire 12b extends through the opening 17e. The wire locking means 17 is connected to the base 13a of the brake lever 13 via connecting means 18 allowing the pivotal movement of the wire locking means 17 with the brake lever 13. When the lever operating section 13b of the brake lever 13 is grasped by a bicycle rider, the brake lever 13 pivots around a pivot pin X on the lever bracket 14 and moves toward the grip section of the handlebar 15, thereby displacing the inner wire 12b to switch the operating member 9 from the brake-release or OFF position to the brake-engaged or ON position due to the pulling operation, which results in application of the brake. When the engaged brake lever 13 is released from the bicycle rider's grasp, the biasing of a return spring 19 acts on the brake lever 13. A return spring 20 acts on the wire-connecting section 9a of the above operating member 9 and the brake lever 13 is automatically restored to the return position R (see Figs. 8-11). As the lever 13 returns to the return position R, the connecting means 18 comes in contact with the stopper sections 14a of the lever bracket 14, thereby relaxing the inner wire 12b, and returning the hub brake to the release state by the return of the operating member 9 from the brake-engaged or ON position to the brake-release or OFF position due to the operation of the return spring 20 (Fig. 1). An adjusting mechanism 21 (Fig. 4) is constructed with the above connecting means 18 and the stopper section 14a of the above lever bracket 14, and this adjusting mechanism 21 is designed to adjust the return position R (see Figs. 8-11) of the brake lever 13 relative to the lever bracket 14, and the changing of a lever ratio A of the brake lever 13 relative to the inner wire 12b as is explained below. The connecting means 18, as shown in Figs. 5 and 7, is formed with a mounting part 18a, a positioning disc 18b located concentric with the mounting part 18a, and a first support part 18c, and a second support part 18c' which clamp and connect together the mounting part 18a and the positioning disc 18b, and which are located off-center of the mounting part 18a, with a construction such that the above mounting part 18a and the positioning disc 18b, as shown in Fig. 7, are inserted into an attachment hole 13c of the brake lever 13 for attachment to the brake lever 13. With the first and second support parts 18c, 18c' separately inserted into a pair of side plates 17a, 17b of the wire locking means 17 for support, a construction is provided which enables the connecting means 18 to connect the brake lever 13 with the inner wire 12b. With this construction, an axis F of the first and second support parts 18c, 18c' defines an inner-wire connecting point F. As shown in Fig. 5, at two points on the periphery of the above positioning disc 18b, there are formed tongue sections 18d projecting toward the mounting part 18a by bending. These two tongue sections 18d, 18d are insertable into two of the four corresponding holes 13d formed in the brake lever 13, as is shown in Figs. 6 and 7. A connecting means-setting spring 22, which intervenes between the positioning disc 18b of the connecting means 18 and the side plate 17a of the above wire locking means 17, presses and biases the connecting means 18 toward the side plate 17b of the wire locking means 17 thereby allowing the insertion of the tongue section 18d into the positioning hole 13d for biasing, and the locking of the tongue section 18d on the brake lever 13 in the inside of the positioning hole 13d, eventually leading to the locking of the rotation of the brake lever 13 of the connecting means 18 due to the function of the tongue section 18d and the connecting means-setting spring 22, and through this mechanism, the mis-positioning of the support parts 18c, 18c' relative to the brake lever 13 cannot occur even with the pulling action of the inner wire 12b exerted on the support parts 18c, 18c' by the braking operation, or even with the action due to the contact with the stopper section 14a of the lever bracket 14. That is, the connecting means 18 is positioned appropriately to allow the braking operation. The two tongue sections 18d of the positioning disc 18b and the 4 positioning hole 13d of the brake lever 13 are spaced at equal distances along the periphery of the positioning disc 18b. If certain rotating means, such as a screw driver (not shown) is applied to the operating means-locking section 18e, as shown in Fig. 5, formed in one end section of the support part 18c, the connecting means 18 may be rotated around the axis Z of the mounting part 18a in the direction of B relative to the brake lever 13, as shown in Figs. 3 and 5. In response to rotation, the cam action of the declining side 18f of the above projection 18d, the connecting means 18 slides toward the side plate 17a of the wire locking means 17 relative to the brake lever 13 while compressing and deforming the connecting means-setting spring 22, and the tongue section 18d of the positioning disc 18b escapes from the positioning hole 13d into which it had been inserted prior to the rotating operation, and then moves to the next positioning hole 13d adjacent to the positioning hole 13d. Thereafter, upon coming into alignment with the adjacent positioning hole 13d, the tongue section 18d is inserted into this positioning hole 13d due to the action of the connecting means-setting spring 22, and the connecting means 18 is switched from the installation position for the braking operation prior to the rotating operation to the installation position for the next braking operation. If the connecting means 18 is operated to rotate the brake lever 13, then successive switching is made between the 4 positions from the first installation position S1 to the fourth installation position S4 which is determined by matching the tongue section 18d of the positioning disc 18b with the positioning hole 13d of the brake lever 13. The brake lever 13 is constructed so that, upon contact of the first and second and second support parts 18c, 18c' with the pair of left and right stopper sections 14a, 14a of the lever bracket 14, it is placed in the return position R, and further the stopper surface 14b which contacts and acts on the above support parts 18c, 18c' of the stopper section 14a is formed as a sector along the arc surrounding the inner wire-supporting point T of the above outer holder 16 when viewed along the axis X of the pivoting of the brake lever 13. Here, the inner wire-supporting point T is the one which becomes the supporting point for the movement of the inner wire 12b when the inner wire 12b pivots due to the pivoting of the brake lever 13 accompanying the braking operation. In addition, consider a case in which the axis F of the support parts 18c, 18c' of the connecting means 18 and the axis Z of the rotation of the connecting means 18 relative to the brake lever 13 are positioned as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, and further the connecting means 18 are positioned at either of the first installation position S1 to the fourth installation position S4 in a construction wherein the support parts 18c, 18c' is positioned relative to the brake lever 13 as shown in Figs. 8 to 11. The meaning of the lever ratio A is described below. As shown in Fig. 8, the position 25 cm apart from the to of the brake lever 13 is defined as fore point P, the distance from the pivot axis X to the force point P as L1, the distance from the pivot axis X to the axis F of the inner wire 12a as L2, and the lever ratio A as distance L2/distance L1. The larger the lever ratio A, the more power required for the operation of the brake lever 13, i.e. the braking operation. If, as shown in Fig. 8, the connecting means 18 is located in the above first installation position S1, then the return position R of the brake lever 13 lies at the furthest point at which the distance W from the grip section 15a of the handle bar 15 is the greatest. If, as shown in Fig. 10, the connecting means 18 is located in the above third installation position S3, then the return position R is at the nearest point at which the distance W from the grip section 15a of the handle lever 15 is the smallest, Last, if, as shown in Figs. 9 or 11, the connecting means 18 is located at the above second installation position S2 or the above fourth installation position S4, then the return position R is at an intermediate point at which the distance W from the grip section 15a of the handle bar 15 is smaller than the maximum, but larger than the minimum. With the connecting means 18 at the above fourth installation position S4, the above distance L2 becomes the maximum, and the above lever ratio A, also the maximum, whereas with the connecting means 18 in the above second installation position S2, the above distance L2 becomes the minimum, and the above lever ratio A, also the minimum, and with the connecting means 18 at the above first installation position S1 or the above third installation position S3, the above distance L2 becomes an intermediate one which is shorter than the maximum, but longer than the minimum, and the above lever ratio A becomes intermediate between the above maximum and minimum lever ratios. As the stopper surface 14b is formed on the circular surface, the distance of the inner wire 12a to be pulled from the support point section T is kept constant when the brake lever 13 is positioned at the return position R even if the connecting means 18 is moved to any of the first to fourth mounting positions S1 to S4. That is, even if the return position R is changed to any of the maximum, intermediate or minimum spacing position, and the lever ratio A is changed to any of the largest, medium or smallest position, the operating member 9 is arranged so as to be positioned within the setting adjustment range determined in such a manner that the operating member 9 is positioned when the hub brake is connected to the brake lever 13. In other words, when the mounting position is changed by rotating the connecting means 18, the adjusting mechanism 21 controls and changes the return position R of the brake lever 13 to any one of the maximum, intermediate or minimum spacing position, and, in linking therewith, changes the lever ratio A of the brake lever 13 to any one of the largest, medium, or smallest ratio. Then, as shown in Fig. 12, when the connecting means 18 is repositioned from the first mounting position S1 to the second mounting position S2, and when it is repositioned from the third mounting position S3 to the fourth mounting position S4, the adjusting mechanism 21 takes the first control mode to change the return position R and the lever ratio A in an interlocked manner in the direction to simultaneously increase or decrease the distance W of the return position R from the grip section 15a and the lever ratio A, that is, in the same increasing or decreasing direction. When the connecting means 18 is repositioned from the second mounting position S2 to the third mounting position S3, and when it is repositioned from the fourth mounting position S4 to the first mounting position S1, the adjusting mechanism 21 takes the second control mode to change the return position R and the lever ratio A in an interlocked manner in the direction to increase one of the distance W of the return position R from the grip 15a and the lever ratio A, but to decrease the other, that is, in the opposite increasing or decreasing direction. That is, when the connecting means 18 is moved to the first mounting position S1, the return position R moves to the maximum spacing position, and the lever ratio A takes the medium lever ratio. When the connecting means 18 is moved to the second mounting position S2, the return position R moves to the intermediate spacing position, and the lever ratio A takes the smallest lever ratio. When the connecting means 18 is moved to the third mounting position S3, the return position R moves to the minimum spacing position, and the lever ratio A takes the medium lever ratio. When the connecting means 18 is moved to the fourth mounting position S4, the return position R moves to the intermediate spacing position, and the lever ratio A takes the largest lever ratio. In other words, even if the rider changes and he or she has different hand size or grasping power, or preference of the rider differs for operational feel, by controlling the controlling mechanism 21 with rotation of the connecting means 18, the rider can select a braking operation mode best suitable for his or her hand, grasping power or operational feel from a operation mode with the maximum spacing W or slack of the brake lever 13 and the medium strength for braking operation, the one with the intermediate slack of the brake lever 13 and the smallest strength for braking operation, the one with the minimum slack of the brake lever 13 and the medium strength for braking operation, or the one with the intermediate slack of the brake lever 13 and the largest strength for braking operation by rotating the connecting means 18 to control the adjusting mechanism 21 so that he or she can operate the brake in such mode. Furthermore, even if any operation mode is selected, it is arranged that proper interlocking can be provided for the brake lever 13 and the operating member 9, and that the brake can be operated at the best mode without insufficient operation as in such case that the brake is difficult to control when it exceedingly operated only by slightly moving the brake lever 13 from the return position R. Although, in the adjusting mechanism 21, the connecting means 18 can rotate only in the direction B because of the shape of the tongue 18d, it may be possible to arrange the connecting means not only to be rotatable only in one direction, but also to be rotatable in either directions by a positioning arrangement in which a positioning recess is formed in the connecting means, and a positioning ball engagable in the recess by a spring is provided on the brake lever in the state where it engages. In addition, the connecting means can rotate only in a predetermined range, for example, in the range from the first mounting position S1 to the third mounting range S3 of the range from the first to fourth mounting positions S1 to S4 by limiting its rotatable range to 360 degrees or less. Fig. 13 shows a brake lever mechanism according to another embodiment of the present invention. It is substantially same as the brake lever mechanism shown in Fig. 3, but has a different adjusting mechanism 21. The adjusting mechanism 21 in the embodiment shown in Fig. 13 includes a connecting means 23 for connecting a wire locking means 17 to the brake lever 13, and a stopper section 14a of the lever bracket 14. The connecting means 23 is a stepped pin with a larger diameter pin section 23a at one end and a smaller diameter pin section 23b at the other end, and is inserted into an elongated pin hole 13e in the brake lever 13 for incorporation thereto. The larger diameter pin section 23a and the smaller diameter pin section 23b are inserted into, and support a pair of side plates 17a and 17b of the wire locking means 17, respectively, so that the connecting means 23 can connect the brake lever 13 with the inner wire 12b. This makes the axis F of the connecting means 23 to be a connecting point F for the inner wire of the brake lever 13. As shown in Fig. 14, when a setting spring 25 inserted between a spring receiver 24 provided on the smaller diameter pin section 23b of the connecting means 23 and the side plate 17a of the wire locking means 17 slides and urges the connecting means 23, a part of the larger diameter pin section 23a of the connecting means 23 enters in and urges the positioning recess 13f provided in the pin hole 13e of the brake lever 13 as shown in Fig. 13. When the larger diameter pin section 23a enters in the positioning recess 13f, the brake lever 13 causes the positioning recess 13f to lock and support the connecting means 23 so that the connecting means 23 does not move along the pin hole 13e even if the operation of the brake causes a pulling force of the inner wire 12b acting on the larger and smaller diameter pin sections 23a and 23b by the operation of the brake, or causes an impact due to abutting with the stopper section 14a of the lever bracket 14. That is, the connecting means 23 is positioned at the predetermined position enabling the brake to operate. When the larger diameter pin section 23a of the connecting means 23 is removed from the positioning recess 13f by pressing the smaller diameter pin section 23b to slide the connecting means 23 against the setting spring 25, the connecting means 23 is released from locking by the brake lever 13. The mounting position of the connecting means 23 on the brake lever 13 can be changed by moving the connecting means 23 within the pin hole 13e of the brake lever 13 while maintaining it in the unlocking state, and by entering the larger diameter pin section 23a of the connecting means 23 into a selected one of three positioning recesses 13f. That is, the connecting means 23 can be positioned in one of three mounting positions, namely, the first mounting position S1 to the third mounting position S3, as shown in Figs. 15 to 17 determined by the number of positioning recesses 13f by inserting or removing the connecting means 23 into or out of the positioning recess 13f, and moving it along the pin hole 13e. The brake lever 13 is arranged to be at the return position R by causing the larger and smaller diameter pin sections 23a and 23b of the connecting means 23 to abut against a pair of stopper sections 14a and 14b of the lever bracket 14, respectively. Of the stopper section 14a, the first stopper section ST1 abutting against the connecting means 23 positioned at the first mounting position S1, the second stopper section ST2 abutting against the connecting means 23 positioned at the second mounting position S2, the third stopper section ST3 abutting against the connecting means 23 positioned at the third mounting position S3 are arranged to be positioned on an imaginary circle around an inner wire support position T of the outer holder 16 viewed from the direction along the pivot axis X for the brake lever 13. Because the shape of the pin hole 13e and the positional relationship to the brake lever pivot axis X are determined as shown in Fig. 13, when the connecting means 23 is at the first mounting position S1 as shown in Fig. 15, the return position R of the brake lever 13 is at the maximum spacing position where the distance W from the grip 15a of the handle bar 15 is the maximum, and the lever ratio A takes the largest lever ratio because the distance from the pivot axis X to the inner wire connecting point F is the largest. When the connecting means 23 is at the third mounting position S3 as shown in Fig. 17, the return position R of the brake lever 13 is at the minimum spacing position where the distance W from the grip 15a of the handle bar 15 is the minimum, and the lever ratio A takes the smallest lever ratio because the distance from the pivot axis X to the inner wire connecting point F is the smallest. When the connecting means 23 is at the second mounting position S2 as shown in Fig. 16, the return position R of the brake lever 13 is at the intermediate spacing position where the distance W from the grip 15a of the handle bar 15 is smaller than the maximum but larger than the minimum, and the lever ratio A takes the medium lever ratio because the distance between the pivot axis X and the inner wire connecting point F is the medium distance smaller than the largest distance but larger than the smallest distance. As the stopper sections ST1 to ST3 are on the imaginary circle, the distance of the inner wire 12a pulled from the exit point T is kept constant when the brake lever 13 is positioned at the return position R even when the connecting means 23 is moved to any of the first to third mounting positions S1 to S3. That is, even if the return position R changes to any of the maximum, intermediate or minimum spacing position, and the lever ratio A changes to any of the largest, medium or smallest lever ratio, when the brake lever 13 is at the return position R, the operation member 9 is arranged to be positioned within the setting adjustment range determined in such a manner that the operation member 9 is positioned when the hub brake is connected to the brake lever 13. In other words, when the mounting position is changed by rotating the connecting means 23, the adjusting mechanism 21 controls and changes the return position R of the brake lever 13 to any one of the maximum, intermediate or minimum spacing position, in linking therewith, changes the lever ratio A of the brake lever 13 to any one of the largest, medium, or smallest ratio. Then, as shown in Fig. 18, it is arranged that an operation mode with a larger slack of the brake lever 13 and higher strength for braking operation, an operation mode with intermediate slack of the brake lever 13 and medium strength for braking operation, or an operation mode with smaller slack of the brake lever 13 and lower strength for braking operation can be selected by changing the return position R and the lever ratio A in an interlocked manner in the direction to simultaneously increase or decrease the distance W of the return position R from the grip 15a and the lever ratio A, that is, in the same increasing or decreasing direction, and that, even when any operation mode is selected, there arises no incomplete interlocking between the brake lever 13 and the operation member 9. Fig. 19 shows a brake lever mechanism according to a further alternate embodiment of the present invention. It is substantially same as the brake lever mechanism shown in Figs. 3 and 13, but has a different adjusting mechanism 21. The adjusting mechanism 21 consists of a connecting means 26 connecting a wire locking means 17 to the brake lever 13, and a stopper section 14a of a lever bracket 14. The brake lever 13 in Fig. 19 is provided with an opening 13e that includes four semicircular concave portions or gear sections 13g. As shown in Fig. 20, the connecting means 26 comprises a pin member having a shaft section 26a, and having a three lobe shaft section 26b which is positioned in the opening 13e of the brake lever 13. As is more apparent from Figs. 19, and 21-23, each of the three lobes in the lobe shaft section 26b conforms with the curvature of the gear sections 13g in the opening 13e. A screw or rivet cap 26d secures the shaft 26a in position. The shaft section 26a passes through and supports a side portions or plates 17a and 17b of the wire locking means 17 so that the connecting means 26 connects the brake lever 13 and the inner wire 12b. This makes the axis F of the connecting means 26 a connecting point F for the inner wire of the brake lever 13. As shown in Fig. 19, the positioning gear section 13g is formed in the opening 13e of the brake lever 13. The connecting means 26 is pressed and urged against the positioning gear section 13g by a return spring 19 and a connecting means holding spring 27 so as to mesh and urge the threaded shaft section 26b of the connecting means 26 to and against the positioning gear section 13g of the brake lever 13, and the brake lever 13 is caused the positioning gear section 13g to lock and support the connecting means 26. Thus, the connecting means 26 is hardly displaced in respect to the brake lever 13 even if the operation of the brake causes the round shaft section 26a to pull the inner wire 12b, or causes an impact due to abutting with the stopper section 14a of the lever bracket 14a. That is, the connecting means 26 is positioned at the predetermined position enabling the brake to operate. When a rotating means, such as a screw driver (not shown), engages section 26c on one end of the connecting means 26 to rotate the connecting means 26, the connecting means 26 rotates and moves along the positioning gear 13g because of meshing between the threaded shaft section 26b and the positioning gear section 13g. That is, when the connecting means 26 is rotated, it can be positioned at one of three mounting positions, namely, the first mounting position S1 to the third mounting position S3, as shown in Figs. 21 to 23, which is determined by the number of teeth of the positioning gear section 13g of the brake lever 13. The brake lever 13 is arranged to be at the return position R by causing the pair of round shaft sections 26a of the connecting means 26 to abut against a pair of stopper sections 14a and 14b of the lever bracket 14, respectively. Of the stopper section 14a, the first stopper section ST1 abutting against the connecting means 26 positioned at the first mounting position S1, the second stopper section ST2 abutting against the connecting means 26 positioned at the second mounting position S2, the third stopper section ST3 abutting against the connecting means 26 positioned at the third mounting position S3 are arranged to be positioned on an imaginary circle around an inner wire support position T of the outer holder 16 viewed from the direction along the pivot axis X for the brake lever 13. The positional relationship of the positioning gear section 13g to the brake lever pivot axis X are determined as shown in Fig. 19. When the connecting means 26 is at the first mounting position S1 as shown in Fig. 21, the return position R of the brake lever 13 is at the minimum spacing position where the distance W from the grip 15a of the handle bar 15 is the minimum, and the lever ratio A takes the largest lever ratio because the distance from the pivot axis X to the inner wire connecting point F is the largest. When the connecting means 26 is at the third mounting position S3 as shown in Fig. 23, the return position R of the brake lever 13 is at the maximum spacing position where the distance W from the grip 15a of the handle bar 15 is the maximum, and the lever ratio A takes the smallest lever ratio because the distance from the pivot axis X to the inner wire connecting point F is the smallest. When the connecting means 26 is at the second mounting position S2 as shown in Fig. 22, the return position R of the brake lever 13 is at the intermediate spacing position where the distance W from the grip 15a of the handle bar 15 is smaller than the maximum but larger than the minimum, and the lever ratio A takes the medium lever ratio because the distance from the pivot axis X to the inner wire connecting point F is the medium distance larger than the smallest distance but smaller than the largest distance. As the stopper sections ST1 - ST3 are on the imaginary circle, the distance of the inner wire 12a to be pulled from the exit point T is kept constant when the brake lever 13 is positioned at the return position R even when the connecting means 26 is moved to any of the first to third mounting positions S1 to S3. That is, even if the return position R changes to any of the maximum, intermediate or minimum spacing position, and the lever ratio A changes to any of the largest, medium or smallest lever ratio, when the brake lever 13 is at the return position R, the operation member 9 is arranged to be positioned within the setting adjustment range determined in such a manner that the operation member 9 is positioned when the hub brake is connected to the brake lever 13. In other words, when the mounting position of the connecting means 26 is changed, the adjusting mechanism 21 controls and changes the return position R of the brake lever 13 to any one of the maximum, intermediate or minimum spacing position, in linking therewith, changes the lever ratio A of the brake lever 13 to any one of the largest, medium, or smallest ratio. Then, as shown in Fig. 24, it is arranged that an operation mode with a larger slack of the brake lever 13 and lower strength for braking operation, an operation mode with intermediate slack of the brake lever 13 and medium strength for braking operation, or an operation mode with smaller slack of the brake lever 13 and higher strength for braking operation can be selected by changing the return position R and the lever ratio A in an interlocked manner in the direction to increase one of the distance W of the return position R from the grip 15a and the lever ratio, but to decrease the other, that is, in the opposite increasing or decreasing direction, and that, even when any operation mode is selected, there arises no incomplete interlocking between the brake lever 13 and the operation member 9. In the brake lever mechanism shown in Fig. 19, the pin hole 13e of the brake lever 13 has larger dimensions relative to the connecting means 26. That is, when the brake lever 13 returns to the return position R with impact, the connecting means 26 resiliently deforms the springs 19 and 27 by the reaction from abutment, and displaces the springs relative to the brake lever 13 to release the abutment impact. In the above embodiments, it is advantageous in that, because the lever ratio A is changed in interlocking with the change of the return position R of the brake lever 13, the lever ratio A can be changed only by changing the return position R to facilitate the control. However, it may be arranged to separately control change of the return position and that of the lever ratio by separately providing an adjusting mechanism for changing the return position and that for changing the lever ratio. Although reference numerals are indicated in the appended claims for the convenience of reference with the drawings, the present utility model is not limited to the arrangement shown in the drawings.

Claims: A bicycle brake lever mechanism comprising a bracket (14) a lever (13) pivotally connected to the bracket (14) at a pivot point (X) for operating a wire (12a) connected to the lever (13), and an adjusting mechanism (21) for changing the return position (R) of the lever (13) relative to the bracket (14) including means (14b) for keeping constant the length adjustment of the wire (12a) when said lever (13) is located in said return position (R), independently of the changing of said return position, characterised in that the adjusting mechanism (21) when changing the return position (R) of the lever (13) relative to the bracket (14) is also changing the position of the point of connection between the wire (12a) and the lever (13) relative to the pivot point (X) thereby changing the lever ratio (A) of said brake lever (13) to said brake wire (12a) and in that the mechanism is capable of keeping constant the length adjustment of the brake wire also independently of said changing of the lever ratio by said adjusting mechanism (21). A bicycle brake lever mechanism according to Claim 1, wherein the changing of the lever ratio (A) is linked with the changing of the return position (R) by the adjusting mechanism (21). A bicycle brake mechanism according to Claim 2, wherein the adjusting mechanism (21) serves to change the return position (R) and the lever ratio (A) in the same increasing or decreasing direction. A bicycle brake lever mechanism according to Claim 2, wherein the adjusting mechanism (21) serves to change the return position (R) and the lever ratio (A) in opposite increasing or decreasing directions. A bicycle brake lever mechanism according to any of Claims 2 to 4, wherein the adjusting mechanism (21) comprises a first control mode for the interlocked changing of the return position (R) and the lever ratio (A) in the same increasing or decreasing direction, and a second control mode for the interlocked changing of the return position (R) and the lever ratio (A) in opposite increasing or decreasing directions. A bicycle brake lever mechanism according to any preceding claim, wherein the adjusting mechanism (21) comprises connecting means (18, 23, 26) supported by the brake lever (13) in a freely relocatable manner which connect the brake wire (12a) to the brake lever (13), and a stopper section (14a) which contacts the connecting means (18, 23, 26) of the lever bracket (14) to determine the return position (R). A bicycle brake lever mechanism according to Claim 1, for a bicycle brake system comprising: a lever bracket in the form of a base (14) mountable to a bicycle handlebar (15) having a partially hollow interior, said base (14) formed with at least first and second generally co-planar surfaces (14b), and an aperture extending from a first end of said base to the hollow interior; a lever handle (13) having a lever portion (13b) and a body portion (13a), said body portion mounted to said base (14) for pivotal movement proximate the hollow interior and formed with a bore (13c) extending through said body portion; wherein the adjusting mechanism (21) comprises a rod (18, 23, 26) provided with a cam proximate a midportion thereof, the rod having first and second parts (18c, 18c'), said rod extending through said lever handle bore (13c), said cam rotatably disposed in said bore, said first part (18c) formed with an adjusting means and engageable with said base first surface, said second part (18c') engageable with said base second surface; and further including: a u-shaped bracket (17) disposed within said base hollow interior having generally coaxially aligned apertures, said rod (18, 23, 26) extending through said coaxial apertures, and couplable to the brake cable (12b). A bicycle brake lever mechanism according to Claim 7 wherein said u-shaped bracket (17) is disposed within said base hollow interior for generally linear motion in response to movement of said lever handle (13). A bicycle brake mechanism according to either of Claims 7 or 8 wherein said generally co-planar first and second surfaces (14b) have an arcuate contour. A bicycle brake mechanism according to any of Claims 7 to 9 wherein said lever handle (13) is spring biased in a first position wherein said rod first and second parts (18c, 18c') engage said base first and second surfaces (14b) respectively. A bicycle brake mechanism according to Claim 7 further comprising: a disk shaped member (18b) having at least one axially extending protrusion (18d) and a bore extending through a centrally offset portion, said disk shaped member (18b) disposed on said first end of said rod (18) ; said lever handle (13) being provided with a circular recess adjacent to and coaxially aligned with said member (18b), a surface of said lever handle within said recess having a notch (13d) formed thereon and wherein said disk shaped member (18b) being disposed within said recess, said protrusion (18d) engageable with said notch (13d); a spring (22) disposed on said first end of said rod (18) engaging said disk shaped member (18b) biasing said protrusion into engagement with said notch. A bicycle brake lever mechanism according to Claim 1 for a bicycle brake system comprising: a lever bracket in the form of a base (14) mountable to a bicycle handlebar (15) having a partially hollow interior formed with an aperture extending from a first end of said base to the hollow interior, said aperture being configured to receive a brake actuating cable (12a, 12b); a lever handle (13) having a lever portion (13b) and a body portion (13a), said body portion (13a) being mounted proximate the hollow interior to said base (14) for pivotal movement, formed with an opening (13c) extending through said body portion, said opening defining at least two interior surfaces; wherein the adjusting mechanism comprises a rod provided with a protruding surface, said rod extending through said lever handle opening, said protruding surface being selectively engageable with one of said interior surfaces; and further comprising a u-shaped bracket (17) disposed within said base hollow interior having generally coaxially aligned apertures, said rod extending through said coaxial apertures, and couplable to the brake cable. A bicycle brake lever mechanism according to Claim 12 wherein said u-shaped bracket (17) is disposed within said base hollow interior for generally linear motion in response to movement of said lever handle. A bicycle brake lever mechanism according to Claim 12 further comprising: a spring retaining means coupled to said rod and at least partially within said base hollow interior; a spring disposed on a first end of said rod between said u-shaped bracket and said spring retaining means which biases said cam into engagement with at least one of said interior surfaces. A lever mechanism according to any of Claims 12 to 14 wherein said rod is formed with a first end having a diameter larger than a second end, said first end defining said protruding surface. A lever mechanism according to any of Claims 12 to 15 wherein said rod is provided with three lobe-like protrusions and said opening has at least four gear-like interior surfaces (13g) such that said lobe-like protrusions are engageable with any two adjacent gear-like surfaces.

Inventors: NAGANO MASASHI, NAKASHIMA YUJI, SUGIMOTO MASANORI, YAMASHITA KAZUHISA, NAGANO, MASASHI, NAKASHIMA, YUJI, SUGIMOTO, MASANORI, YAMASHITA, KAZUHISA, NAGANO, MASASHI, C/O SHIMANO INC., NAKASHIMA, YUJI, C/O SHIMANO INC., SUGIMOTO, MASANORI, C/O SHIMANO INC., YAMASHITA, KAZUHISA, C/O SHIMANO INC.
Applicants: SHIMANO KK, SHIMANO INC.
Application year: 1994
Main classification: B62K23
IPC codes: B62L3, B62L5, B62K23